from the Son, as well as the Father, were inserted in 447. The addition was made at Constantinople, and generally received: the insertion was made in Spain, and was not received by the Roman Church till 883; neither is it yet by the Greek Church.

The Athanasian Creed was not written by him whose name it bears, but 100 years after his death (A.D. 600.)—As to the damnatory clauses it contains, it may be observed, that as a belief in Christ, as the Son of God, in the full sense and latitude of the term as it stands in Scripture, is necessary to Salvation; so these condemnatory expressions are only applicable to those, who, with full opportunity of light and instruction, reject the Gospel truth, and choose darkness rather than light:-the Athanasian Creed being only a more particular explication of what is generally asserted in the two other Creeds. It is not probable that the Apostles' Creed was written by them; indeed, as was before observed, there does not appear to have been any established formulary of words, on doctrinal points, for some time. The first mention we have of this Creed occurs in the fifth century.

The Creeds being human compositions, our Church has stated they are to be received, only because they accord with, and may be proved from, Scripture.

CHAPTER III.

From the Ninth to the Eighteenth Article, (inclusive.) Concerning Christians, as Individuals.

SECT. I.-ART. IX.

OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN.

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, as the Pelagians do vainly talk, but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, ΦΡΟΝΗΜΑ ΣΑΡΚΟΣ, which some do erpound the wisdom, some the sensuality, some the affection, and some the desire of the flesh, is not subject to the law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.

THAT we all inherit not only a nature subject to death, but also a disposition prone to sin, in consequence of Adam's transgression, may be shewn thus: Adam's nature appears to have been immortal, from

CHAP. III. BRIEF EXPOSITION OF ARTICLE IX. 353 the denunciation of death pronounced against him if he sinned; this death did not take place immediately; and therefore we conclude it must have meant a change in his constitution, making him liable to death. This change, it is evident, we suffer the effects of; for "in Adam all die."-But there is a more serious change involved in the guilt of Adam's sin the change of heart and disposition;of that pure nature, in which man was originally formed, when "God made man upright *,” and “in His own image +," holy and pure. Whereas "by

pure. Whereas

one man sin entered into the world ‡," so that now we are no longer innocent; "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth §;" and it is evident, from our experience, that man inherits an evil and corrupt nature: and that his "carnal mind is enmity against God ||." Now it would be inconsistent to suppose, that a pure Creator should have made a sinful creature: and there is no possible way of accounting for our general depravity, but by our inheriting it from our father who fell. By one man's disobedience, many were made sinners ¶.”— On this is founded the plan of our redemption through a Saviour; whose imputed merits, and con

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Eccles. vii. 29.

§ Gen. viii. 21.

+ Gen. i. 27.

| Rom. viii. 7.

Rom. v. 12.
¶Rom. v. 19.

ferred graces, are commensurate with the inherited and actual guilt; and efficacious to renew the lost image of God in man's soul.

could not actually commit sin;

Infants and idiots

how then are we to

understand "there is none that doth not commit sin, no not one;" if we do not admit a natural corruption derived from Adam? Neither is there any injustice in this, as Christ is a sufficient satisfaction and atonement for the sins of the whole world.Neither again, are many passages in Scripture, particularly in St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, explicable on any other supposition than this.

This infection doth also remain in the regenerate. This is evident from every one's experience; and we have the words of St. Paul as a testimony," the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, so that ye cannot do the things ye would * :" and he warns them to flee from fleshly lusts." Now these words were addressed to persons who had been baptized, and whom the Apostle nevertheless considered as liable to the infection of nature, contracted by man's fall.

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To true believers in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation; yet in them, the very concupiscence or inclination to sin, though not ripening into an

* Gal. v. 17.

actual transgression, or a consent to transgression, yet has in it the nature of sin.

SECT. II.-ART. X.

OF FREE WILL.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith, and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.

A rational nature is not determined, like matter, i by the mere impulse of another body upon it; but by the process of thought and reflection, it chooses and determines. Now every one must be conscious that he has this power of reflecting and determining, and acting according to the dictate of his will; indeed without this free agency, no action can be morally good or bad. Our nature and dispositions however are so corrupted, that, of ourselves, we are not able to resist our evil passions, and follow good works, without God's preventing and assisting grace. This was acknowledged by holy men of old; David prays to God," to open his eyes, to guide and direct him, and renew a right spirit within him."

* Psalm cxix. 18, 33, 35, and Psalm li. 10.